Argon/CO2

[crewchief888]

anywhere near Chicago land. I may have to purchase another roll of flux core.

it's a PITA to deal with the welding suppliers around here, most were bought up by praxair.
from my experience they dont want to be bothered by my $40 purchase when they have multiple truckloads of cylinders headed out the gate every morning to industrial users.
the only independent LWS in the area screwed me on a used MIG purchase 10 fe years ago, i havent forgotten about it.
(yes i hold a grudge)

the only time i get my bottle filled is if i absolutely have to run gas, most of the stuff i weld on flux core works just fine... ive run 3 or 4 10lb spools of flux core VS 1/2 of a 2lb spool of solid wire.

 

[Ericgst]

I find cylinders on craigslist all the time. I have bought several 330cf cylinders for around $100/ea. Typically pay less than $100 for smaller ones.

I take them to my dealer, and swap them for a full one of equal size or for two smaller ones for just the price of the gas.

about $45 for 330
about $25 for 125


FYI, on CL search for oxygen cylinder or tank. Argon always seem to go for more even though they are the same thing.

 

[dsmnickk90]

Located in Central Missouri. Ozark Gas and Welding Supply. Sorry not anywhere near Chicago land. This is a scam. I may have to purchase another roll of flux core.

I was told one of the Ozarc gas stores in st.Louis will exchange private owned bottles out for 80 c/sf and under. They won't for anything larger though. I'm currently shopping around to see what the best option is. I would prefer to find a place that will fill my bottle and not exchange it for a bottle with their name on it. Once you get a bottle with their name on it you kind of stuck with them.

 

[Monkey Milk]

I envy you all

c25 300cf
$407.69


Pure argon
125cf $215
330cf $644

Prices are for owned bottles

 

[happy hoppy]

I buy my gases, acetylene, oxygen and argon from a medical & industrial supply company. Its about 35-45% less then the welding shop.

 

[bubinga]

I buy my gases, acetylene, oxygen and argon from a medical & industrial supply company. Its about 35-45% less then the welding shop.

Why does medical supply Carry Argon and acetylene?

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[happy hoppy]

Why does medical supply Carry Argon and acetylene?

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I have no idea why they sell it, they just do and I save a lot. They also took in a large 25+ year old oxygen bottle a friend gave me and only charged me the cost of a test, $35.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

If you dont use it a lot you can buy a cylinder from tractor supply and swap it out for a new full one at the store. I bought a lincoln welder on CL that came with their smallest 75/25 tank. I sold the welder and kept the tank. It is around $30 to swap for a full one.

Depends on location. Around here Tractor Supply doesn't fill their own tanks anymore, and the welding supply shops won't fill anything but their own. No TSC, no Harbor Freight, nothing unless it came from the weld shop.



I got lucky and picked up an oxy-acetylene set with empty tanks on Craigslist, both tanks from our local shop. I exchanged one tank for straight argon for my TIG welder, and the other for CO2 for my kegerator.

 

[Mhyde52]

No I haven't, but I heard they were better than some of the others in our area. Last few times I have seat with cryo-weld. They are excellent for gases. Not so much for consumables. United welding in scotia, is also good. That's who we have an account with at work.

 

[Mhyde52]

Mhyde52 - Have you dealt with Haun Welding Supply? I have had very good luck with them

No I haven't, but I heard they were better than some of the others in our area. Last few times I have seat with cryo-weld. They are excellent for gases. Not so much for consumables. United welding in scotia, is also good. That's who we have an account with at work.

 

[Mhyde52]

Why does medical supply Carry Argon and acetylene?

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He said medical AND industrial. Many industries use argon and acetylene, obviously.

 

[4ruinner]

Where are you located please and what's the name of your local welding supply shop? You anywhere near Chicagoland by chance? I'd like to get my cylinders filled but nobody wants to fill anything that doesn't already have their name on it. Such a damn hassle!

I was under the impression that a cylinder that has a company name stamped on it belonged to the company not the individual. I thought bought bottles should not have any company's name on them.

I bought a bottle from a welding supply a few months ago and it does not have any company's name on it just a bunch of numbers and the sticker for the gas that's in it.

 

[Cope]

Everything has a price.

Not long ago you had to be a pro/have a business to even get gas.

I don't know where you live, but I've been getting cylinders since 1970 and have never had to prove anything except the ability to pay for the goods. As I said above though, practices and policies vary widely.

 

[WBrowniv]

If you have a Northern Tool store close by it looks like they offer and exchange service similar to BBQ propane tanks. I have not asked about price or how to get started. Looked like they offered different sizes of tanks. They are in a locked cage outside next to the door.

 

[braidmeister]

I don't know where you live, but I've been getting cylinders since 1970 and have never had to prove anything except the ability to pay for the goods. As I said above though, practices and policies vary widely.

Southwestern part of the Northeast

15yrs ago you HAD to be a registered business to get gas around here. No exceptions. Commoners were stuck with fluxcore and stick. Things have gotten a lot easier in recent times. If I could avoid paying $150 rental for 2 bottles per year, I would. It is what it is. I just make more money to cover it, that's all. I use mine for business, so it's just another expense for me. What am I going to do TIG with fluxcore?

You're from TX. Everybody is a welder in Texas, so you can probably pick up bottles at the 7-11.

 

[bigdav160]

Liberty

It's a fading concept in most of America.

Thank God we have pockets of it in Texas

 

[Cope]

Southwestern part of the Northeast

15yrs ago you HAD to be a registered business to get gas around here. No exceptions. Commoners were stuck with fluxcore and stick. Things have gotten a lot easier in recent times. If I could avoid paying $150 rental for 2 bottles per year, I would. It is what it is. I just make more money to cover it, that's all. I use mine for business, so it's just another expense for me. What am I going to do TIG with fluxcore?

You're from TX. Everybody is a welder in Texas, so you can probably pick up bottles at the 7-11.

Not quite, but I'm 2 miles from a Praxair that is cheap on cylinders and refills. buy 122 CF AR. C25 and so one for under $100 filled.

 

[bigdav160]

Exchanged two M bottles today ($28 & $29)

One has no name on the collar and the other has Airgas. Both have praxair stickers on them now.

 

[-Brent-]

Not long ago you had to be a pro/have a business to even get gas.

Really? That's nuts. I've never seen that anywhere I've lived.

 

[pstemari]

My understanding is that most places won't fill bottles leased from competitors. Whether it's a legal requirement, I can't say.

I do know that if the bottle has an owner stamped on the collar, that's the owner. If you're trading an owned bottle for a full one you need to make sure the exchanged bottle doesn't have an owner stamp on the collar.

Also, previous thread on this topic:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272374

 

[bigdav160]

Didn't read the thread you linked to but my post above was to show that the "name on the collar" might be an urban legend.

Either that or there is some type of local agreement between suppliers,

 

[Ericgst]

Didn't read the thread you linked to but my post above was to show that the "name on the collar" might be an urban legend.

Either that or there is some type of local agreement between suppliers,

It is just an agreement, my shop will trade any blank collar for a blank collar, or trade any named collar for another named collar. You never know what it's going to say.

 

[aczr2k]

In my town I can't "buy" a cylinder it is all leases, but if I drive to the metro (Minneapolis-St. Paul) the same distributor will sell me one. Now that is a total scam.

 

[DerekV]

weldfabulous.com has pretty good prices on cylinders. I got my 125 straight argon tank there, brand new and shipped full, for cheaper than what I could find locally. Don't forget about CO2...cheap and easier to get.

But if you're dead set on a mixed gas I'd check out weldfabulous. I'd look for something no smaller than an 80. Don't even waste your time with anything smaller. 125s are the perfect size IMO though. Good amount of gas and still easy to move around.

 

[CNGsaves]

x1000 . . . . . . for . . . .you guessed it . . . . . Check Other Suppliers !!!

Lots of welding bottles for sale on CL so it makes no sense at all to lease.

On CL, I found a nearly full 80 cf bottle of 75/25 for $140 . . . . I'd recommend 80 cf as minimum size. Subsequently, there has been some deals at estate sales where I could have gotten larger bottle on the cheap. If I were to do it over, I should have looked for a 125 cf bottle or larger.

Here is example of possible deals out there . . . . 155 cf bottle full of 75/25 mix for $150
https://eugene.craigslist.org/tls/6063056514.html

Here is example of . . . . . 145 cf bottle full of 75/25 mix for $200
https://joplin.craigslist.org/tls/6056953902.html

 

[aczr2k]

Very rare to see bottles on Clist here. I did pick up an argon but I think I looked for close to a year.


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